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T. M. HASS.

ALBUM CLASP. No. 300,070. Patented June 10, 1884.

WITNESSES INVBNTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

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TATES THEODORE M. HASS, OF NEW YORKfN. Y.

ALBUM-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,070, dated June 10,1884. Application filed April 12, 1884. (No model.)

T to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnnononn M. HASS, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful I1nprovements inAlbum-Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an albumclasp of that class which adaptsitself to the increasing size of the album as it is gradually filled upwith photographs; and the invention consists of a main piece hinged tothe back of the album and provided with a centhe face-plate removed.

tral guide-socket for a spring-actuated extension-shank having aball-shaped terminal. The extension-shank is recessed, said recess beingengaged by two fulcrumed levers, the

levers being acted upon by a V-shaped spring that is retained in arecess of the main piece by a fixed pin. The outer ends of the fulcrumedlevers are guided in recesses of the main piece. The ball-shaped end ofthe eX- tension-shank is engaged by stops on the edge mounting of thetop of the album-cover.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view ofan album with my improved clasp attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a detailfront view of the clasp with Fig. 3 is a front view of the clasp,showing the extensionshank drawn out; and Fig. 4 's a verticaltransverse section of the clasp.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Ain the drawings represents themain piece of my improved album-clasp,which is made of two plates that are riveted together; The main piece Ais hinged to the supportingstuds a a of a curved plate or mounting, I)attached to the edge of the back of the albumcover. The face-plate ofthe main piece A is provided with a cylindrical guide-socket, d, for theextension-shank B, the inner end of which is recessed and engaged by theinner ends of two levers, O O, which are fulcrumed to the main piece andarranged symmetrically to the shank B. The inner recessed ends of thelevers O G are engaged by a V-shaped steel spring, 6, which throws theouter ends or handles of the fulcrumed levers C O in outward positionaway from the shank B. The \l-shaped spring 6 is retained in an interiorrecess of the main piece A by a fixed pin or rivet, 0, located at theapex of the spring 6. The outer ends of the fulcrumed levers O G areguided in recesses ff 5 of the main piece A, said recesses serving toprotect the levers and prevent them from bending out of shape. The outerend of the extension-shank B is made of ball shape and engaged by studsa a, mounted on an edge plate, b, applied to the top of the albumcover,so that when said album is gradually filled up with photographs, andthereby in creased in thickness, the extension-shank is drawn outagainst the tension of the spring 6, so as to adapt itself to theincreasing thickness of the album. \Vhen it is desired to open thealbum, the handles of the levers O G are pressed together, as shown inFig. 8, whereby the shank B is extended beyond the main piece A, so asto clear the retaining-studs a a, whereby the main piece A may be thrownsidewise and the album opened. In closing the album the shank B is firstextended by pressing the levers G 0 together, the ballshaped terminal Bbeing then placed in position between the studs a a; or the ballshapedend B of the shank B may simply be taken hold of and pushed in betweensaid retaining studs, so as tolock the clasp and hold the album inclosed position.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination of ahinged main piece,

A, an extension-shank, B, guided by said main piece, and fulcrumed andspring-actuated levers O G, engaging a recess of the extensionshank,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the hinged main piece A, an extension-shank,B,guided thereby,

having a ball-shaped terminal, B, fulcrumed and spring-actuated levers GO, and retaining studs a a, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a hinged main piece, A, an extension-shank, B,guided in a socket of the main piece, fulcrumed levers O G, engaging arecess of the shank, a V-shaped spring, a, engaging the inner ends ofthe levers,

the spring being retained in a recess of the I In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as main piece by a fixed pin, 6, substantially as myinvention I have signed my name in presset forth. ence of twosubscribing witnesses.

4c. The combination of a hinged main piece, A, provided withguide-recesses ff, for the THEODORE MT. HAS

lower handles, an extcnsion shank, B, guided in a socket of said inainpiece, and fnlci'nmed Witnesses:

and spring-actuated levers O G engaging a re- LoUIs G. RAEGENER, cess ofsaid shank, substantially as set forth. SIDNEY MANN;

